Here's a good place to start with Bonsai:
Bonsai Mothers
When you're done with that, check out the "Sultan Method" in my sig.
Sqwheels' Perpetual 2L Hempy + Moms
- Thread starter sqwheels
- Start date
Here's a good place to start with Bonsai:
Bonsai Mothers
When you're done with that, check out the "Sultan Method" in my sig.
OG13
New Member
For mag, just use epsom salt and water either foliar spray or in the watering. Take the small clones and do ala 42fied--single stem to take up less space. The key thing w/ the clones is to start one into flowering every few weeks to get your perpetual going, don't worry about size right now....you are just trying to get the schedule started.
Steve McStoferson
New Member
your clones are turning out really well, they look very healthy, nice job!
- Thread starter
- #184
OG,
Yes I have read the molasses info from jz but it says NOT to use this in hydro systems (and his is not the only post I've seen that says this)...isn't hempy a passive form of hydro? Does it make a difference because I do have some substrate, not just water? I DO NOT want to grow fungus
I have not seen MrK's journal on bonsai, but I did read the thread on Bonsai Mothers...that's what got me started on this road and then I saw Fratdogg's bonsai in POTM Sept and that just sent me into overdrive. She was a beauty. I will be looking into MrK's thread asap.
Yes I have read the molasses info from jz but it says NOT to use this in hydro systems (and his is not the only post I've seen that says this)...isn't hempy a passive form of hydro? Does it make a difference because I do have some substrate, not just water? I DO NOT want to grow fungus
I have not seen MrK's journal on bonsai, but I did read the thread on Bonsai Mothers...that's what got me started on this road and then I saw Fratdogg's bonsai in POTM Sept and that just sent me into overdrive. She was a beauty. I will be looking into MrK's thread asap.
- Thread starter
- #185
Hey... OMM,
I'm so glad you made it by. Yes I know...busy, busy. Now that the race season is over I hope to have a little extra time. Ha, who am I kidding
Ya the girls have recovered nicely, I'm so thankful for all the members here who've helped me. Thanks again all...
I'm pretty sure it was a DocBud thread that I read you should never use the paper towel method so many of us have used. Don't hold me to it tho, I've read so many posts here I can't remember who said what, really!
Yep, bonsai...my next experiment. I absolutely love growing stuff...although I don't think my thumb is very green. I'm so glad mj is so forgiving.
I haven't looked in on your journal in about 3 days now...I bet I'm 10 pages behind again...I'll be over as soon as I have a couple hours to just sit and read, probably tonight.
Take Care OMM
I'm so glad you made it by. Yes I know...busy, busy. Now that the race season is over I hope to have a little extra time. Ha, who am I kidding
Ya the girls have recovered nicely, I'm so thankful for all the members here who've helped me. Thanks again all...
I'm pretty sure it was a DocBud thread that I read you should never use the paper towel method so many of us have used. Don't hold me to it tho, I've read so many posts here I can't remember who said what, really!
Yep, bonsai...my next experiment. I absolutely love growing stuff...although I don't think my thumb is very green. I'm so glad mj is so forgiving.
I haven't looked in on your journal in about 3 days now...I bet I'm 10 pages behind again...I'll be over as soon as I have a couple hours to just sit and read, probably tonight.
Take Care OMM
- Thread starter
- #186
Hey there Mr K,
See reply to OG, I'll be lurking your sultan soon!
See reply to OG, I'll be lurking your sultan soon!
- Thread starter
- #187
OG,
the chart I have says use epsom for Sulfur def. Is it also good for Mg def?? It doesn't offer any suggestion for solving a Mg def. Just a description of what to watch for.
??what's ...do ala 42fied--single stem...?? Sorry I'm confused. and I don't think a perpetual is gonna work for me. That's why I want to bonsai..I'm only going to grow in the winter because of my temp/hum issues in that room. Right now our day/night temps are 75/45 and my room is 83/77, with hum day/night being 50/70% I don't want to end up with hermies again.
My plan (here we go again) was to try to get two harvest between say oct/nov and apr/may. That way my room has the best environment for flowering them. If I keep a bonsai in veg, that room/light setup is good 75-78 degrees and 55% 24/7. I'll be able to take cuttings, as many as twelve, root, flower and harvest twice a year. Does that sound like it will work?
Not sure what I'll do with all the other trimmings I'll have to do to a mother, but I'm sure I'll figure something out...trashing them sounds like sacrelig, but if that's what I have to do, then so be it.
- Thread starter
- #188
Thanks CK for the compliment...it's all the plants fault...they just put up with me. I'm actually surprised to see them doing so well, but thrillerd they are
A little worried tho, I saw what looks like mold or fungus on the root riot cubes last night. Gotta look into that closer for sure.
Glad you're checking in on my grow, thanks again for the kind words. If you see me doing something stupid, be sure to speak up..ok
Do you have any experience with root riot? Do they mold?
A little worried tho, I saw what looks like mold or fungus on the root riot cubes last night. Gotta look into that closer for sure.
Glad you're checking in on my grow, thanks again for the kind words. If you see me doing something stupid, be sure to speak up..ok
Do you have any experience with root riot? Do they mold?
- Thread starter
- #189
fromscratch,
Yes, they are doing much better now. I think my water is just bad. All the research and testing stuff I've done in the last week or so has just proved that.
The last several gallons I've drawn have been pH 9.5 and 231-235ppm...still not clear on exactly what that 235ppm is, I went a got a simple faucet type filter thing and it didn't change a bit. I'm stuck with it I guess, because I'm not going to carry ro from the store, and I can't afford a whole house type system, so...it is what it is.
I'm not too worried about the lower leaves turning (there are more than one) I feel like...they are old growth and all the new growth looks good, so it's ok.
Hi Sqwheels, well after catching up in my humble opinion your troubles are water related. And like the others have said high Alkalinity is caused by lots of calcium and magnesium. Magnesium seldom causes problems but calcium does as it can make it hard for the plant to take up other elements like magnesium and phosperous. The large amount of PH down it takes to lower your PH may also have an effect. Changing to the GH nutes may help but finding a way to reduce the TDS in your water will do the most good. Foliar feeding a high P fertylizer like Carl Pool BR-61 and epsom salts will help but the unerlying problem will still be there. BR-61 is available at Ace hardware stores and it's numbers are 9-59-8, for foliar I mix it at 2 tsp per gallon and put the same amount of epsom salts in too. One thing about foliar feeding, you need to spray the plant with plain water in between spraying the nutes on the plant. You don't want any buildup that may cause the plants transpiration to be inhibited. One day I'll spray nutes and the next I use plain water. I would bet your water alone leaves a residue. I don't know about your water supply but mine is not a constant meaning PH and TDS vary at certain times of the year. I have a friend that boils his water, lets it cool down and then pours the top 2/3rds off for his use. He has well water with a TDS that is off the chart though.
Sqwheels,
I've also been told to not use molasses in a hydro system. I am however using a little in y hempy/coco grow, which is a type of hydro. I think the main issue with a res is that you have a higher chance for bacterial and fungal growth because of aeration. Also the bacteria/fungi can clog up pumps, sprayers etc... It's because of those reasons I stopped using Great White in my NFT system (clogged the spray lines).
I am using the Great White in my coco though, and using molasses sparingly to feed the bennies.
I also use root riot plugs. Never had a problem with mold with them. They are advertised as being pre-inoculated with bennies and I've had great success with them.
I'm jumping on the bonsai mom bandwagon too. I think Mr K and Fratdogg have started a new trend (or at least made more people aware of it).
Best of luck on the grow!
I've also been told to not use molasses in a hydro system. I am however using a little in y hempy/coco grow, which is a type of hydro. I think the main issue with a res is that you have a higher chance for bacterial and fungal growth because of aeration. Also the bacteria/fungi can clog up pumps, sprayers etc... It's because of those reasons I stopped using Great White in my NFT system (clogged the spray lines).
I am using the Great White in my coco though, and using molasses sparingly to feed the bennies.
I also use root riot plugs. Never had a problem with mold with them. They are advertised as being pre-inoculated with bennies and I've had great success with them.
I'm jumping on the bonsai mom bandwagon too. I think Mr K and Fratdogg have started a new trend (or at least made more people aware of it).
Best of luck on the grow!
OG13
New Member
Sorry the water is what it is.....you won't need to add any calcium.....Epsom salt is Magnesium Sulfate--mag and sulfur. Foliar feed for an instant shot, the next day use water to rinse off. Repeat as needed
Like Steve said....Hydro SYSTEM.....you don't have pumps or lines to worry about plugging up. You are just adding some carb (sugar) which is what a bunch of supplements have. You will have some beneficial bacteria in your media unless you are using H2O2 or something regularly, so you are feeding them, and it will help the buds bulk up, and the sulphur helps terpine production (the good smells and flavors).
- Thread starter
- #193
Hi Dr.RW,
Glad to see you again...Thanks for the comments. Yes my water is a problem. Very hard, 240ppm from the tap at last check. I'm hoping it won't cause horrible problems, from now on I will be using GH floranova nutes, they seem to be working best with my water...buffers, I don't need to use much pH down to get it right, just a few drops, (is that alot? you didn't quanitfy "large amount"). I've haven't sprayed epsom for about a week, but I will start again if that's what they need. I'm also going to boil and see if it makes any difference. I had that thought yesterday, but haven't had the time to test it. I bought a faucet type filter by DuPont but it didn't change anything. I haven't been testing long enough to know if my water has large fluxuations, time will tell. Thanks for the BR-61 idea, good to know.
Thanks for lookin in...happy growing
Glad to see you again...Thanks for the comments. Yes my water is a problem. Very hard, 240ppm from the tap at last check. I'm hoping it won't cause horrible problems, from now on I will be using GH floranova nutes, they seem to be working best with my water...buffers, I don't need to use much pH down to get it right, just a few drops, (is that alot? you didn't quanitfy "large amount"). I've haven't sprayed epsom for about a week, but I will start again if that's what they need. I'm also going to boil and see if it makes any difference. I had that thought yesterday, but haven't had the time to test it. I bought a faucet type filter by DuPont but it didn't change anything. I haven't been testing long enough to know if my water has large fluxuations, time will tell. Thanks for the BR-61 idea, good to know.
Thanks for lookin in...happy growing
Hi Sqwheels! Whew, I was a bit behind. I have a few thoughts - first, don't worry about what looks like mold on the root riot plugs - I use similar plugs, and they sometimes grow a harmless fungus, but it is harmless. They do come with beneficials and micro nutes somewhat built in, and that happens sometimes. Scared me too at first though!
Ultimately for water, I would recommend saving for or buying an RO unit if you can. I put it off for the longest time (my water is like yours quite a bit from the sounds of it), but finally got one. It was around $200 or so. Hydrologic Stealth 150, I think? The 150 means it will make 150 gallons per day, in an ideal situation. Mine does about 50 due to low water pressure, but that's still plenty.
It is relatively small (about the size of a briefcase), and it hooks up and unhooks very simply - most lines just "push" in. My PPM's now measure between 0-10. The only thing I don't like is that it does "waste" a fair amount of water. I hook it up to a large rubbermaid container and fill it up with an extra 25+ gallons to always have at the ready. (I go through it in less than a week with my current set-up).
I somehow had it in my mind it was a much bigger deal to do, and I should have done it a lot earlier, but I didn't realize how simple it would be. I keep it next to my utility sink in the basement on a little shelf, and hooking it up takes 30 seconds or so, as does unhooking. I "make" water once a week, and then I don't even have it hooked up other days. Easy breezy.
I know that you have unique challenges physically, so not sure how that would play into it, but it's the best solution for you if you continue growing long term, can handle it physically, and afford it. It makes my life so much easier for me!!
Sorry if this has come up and I forgot - but you just have such a similar water issue as mine, and everything short of a system like I'm talking about probably won't work (Brita, etc. just won't cut it for lowering the PPMs, though they'll make you nice drinking water)
Oh, one other thing - if you have clean air in your home, a dehumidifier makes excellent water for your plants. And, they often need lowered humidity during flower cycle anyway... Just beware that if there is nicotine smoke in the air, it can be a toxic additive to the dehumidifier water...
Hope you are doing well, Sqwheels!
EDIT - here's a pic of a RO unit similar to mine (I think this one does 250gph):
Ultimately for water, I would recommend saving for or buying an RO unit if you can. I put it off for the longest time (my water is like yours quite a bit from the sounds of it), but finally got one. It was around $200 or so. Hydrologic Stealth 150, I think? The 150 means it will make 150 gallons per day, in an ideal situation. Mine does about 50 due to low water pressure, but that's still plenty.
It is relatively small (about the size of a briefcase), and it hooks up and unhooks very simply - most lines just "push" in. My PPM's now measure between 0-10. The only thing I don't like is that it does "waste" a fair amount of water. I hook it up to a large rubbermaid container and fill it up with an extra 25+ gallons to always have at the ready. (I go through it in less than a week with my current set-up).
I somehow had it in my mind it was a much bigger deal to do, and I should have done it a lot earlier, but I didn't realize how simple it would be. I keep it next to my utility sink in the basement on a little shelf, and hooking it up takes 30 seconds or so, as does unhooking. I "make" water once a week, and then I don't even have it hooked up other days. Easy breezy.
I know that you have unique challenges physically, so not sure how that would play into it, but it's the best solution for you if you continue growing long term, can handle it physically, and afford it. It makes my life so much easier for me!!
Sorry if this has come up and I forgot - but you just have such a similar water issue as mine, and everything short of a system like I'm talking about probably won't work (Brita, etc. just won't cut it for lowering the PPMs, though they'll make you nice drinking water)
Oh, one other thing - if you have clean air in your home, a dehumidifier makes excellent water for your plants. And, they often need lowered humidity during flower cycle anyway... Just beware that if there is nicotine smoke in the air, it can be a toxic additive to the dehumidifier water...
Hope you are doing well, Sqwheels!
EDIT - here's a pic of a RO unit similar to mine (I think this one does 250gph):
- Thread starter
- #195
Hey SteveHman,
I've decided the white stuff on the cubes is not mold, well pretty sure, it's probably residue from my water.
I've decided not to use molasses simply because I've seen a couple of knats (fruit flies) in there and I don't want to encourage a problem. But I think you're right about the hydro/hempy thing. It's ok to use molasses in hempy, probably because it's a substrate of sorts and not just water, and the added issue of clogged sprayers and whatnot.
I agree, bonsai is something I'm definately interested in. I'd like to find a couple strains I really like and just use clippings and hempy as a grow style. I really like to 2ltr pots, they are sooo managable for me. Smaller is better. Now I just have to learn to keep the plants under control...I let this batch get way too big before switching to 12/12.
- Thread starter
- #196
OG,
I'm gonna hold off on the molasses for a while because of seeing a couple knats in my plants in the last few days. I don't know where they came from, but I don't want to encourage them with sweets. I will probably give it at least a couple times between now and harvest but I'm gonna see what happens with the knats first. I am foliar feeding with a diluted mix of nutes and espom on and off with water...Does the pH matter with foliar feeding?
I'm gonna hold off on the molasses for a while because of seeing a couple knats in my plants in the last few days. I don't know where they came from, but I don't want to encourage them with sweets. I will probably give it at least a couple times between now and harvest but I'm gonna see what happens with the knats first. I am foliar feeding with a diluted mix of nutes and espom on and off with water...Does the pH matter with foliar feeding?
- Thread starter
- #197
Hi Sqwheels! Whew, I was a bit behind. I have a few thoughts - first, don't worry about what looks like mold on the root riot plugs - I use similar plugs, and they sometimes grow a harmless fungus, but it is harmless. They do come with beneficials and micro nutes somewhat built in, and that happens sometimes. Scared me too at first though!
Ultimately for water, I would recommend saving for or buying an RO unit if you can. I put it off for the longest time (my water is like yours quite a bit from the sounds of it), but finally got one. It was around $200 or so. Hydrologic Stealth 150, I think? The 150 means it will make 150 gallons per day, in an ideal situation. Mine does about 50 due to low water pressure, but that's still plenty.
It is relatively small (about the size of a briefcase), and it hooks up and unhooks very simply - most lines just "push" in. My PPM's now measure between 0-10. The only thing I don't like is that it does "waste" a fair amount of water. I hook it up to a large rubbermaid container and fill it up with an extra 25+ gallons to always have at the ready. (I go through it in less than a week with my current set-up).
I somehow had it in my mind it was a much bigger deal to do, and I should have done it a lot earlier, but I didn't realize how simple it would be. I keep it next to my utility sink in the basement on a little shelf, and hooking it up takes 30 seconds or so, as does unhooking. I "make" water once a week, and then I don't even have it hooked up other days. Easy breezy.
I know that you have unique challenges physically, so not sure how that would play into it, but it's the best solution for you if you continue growing long term, can handle it physically, and afford it. It makes my life so much easier for me!!
Sorry if this has come up and I forgot - but you just have such a similar water issue as mine, and everything short of a system like I'm talking about probably won't work (Brita, etc. just won't cut it for lowering the PPMs, though they'll make you nice drinking water)
Oh, one other thing - if you have clean air in your home, a dehumidifier makes excellent water for your plants. And, they often need lowered humidity during flower cycle anyway... Just beware that if there is nicotine smoke in the air, it can be a toxic additive to the dehumidifier water...
Hope you are doing well, Sqwheels!
EDIT - here's a pic of a RO unit similar to mine (I think this one does 250gph):
Hi X,
Nice to see ya here, I know you've been quite busy with your own, thanks for stopping by. Thanks for the info on the ro kit, you said as big as a briefcase...how heavy is it? I didn't realize they could be so reasonable ($200) is not as much as I thought. You also mentioned waste...How much waste? I am the least likely person to waste anything...my family always teases me about ... reuse, repurpose, recycle. Can the "waste" water be used for anything else, do you know? I'll have to do a little more research on the RO...I just know I'm not hauling water from a store.
- Thread starter
- #198
Hi All,
A couple of quick pics...I recently got a ppm meter and have been upping the nutes, I think this is an early sign of nute burn, you can just see the tips are bright yellow. A few days ago they got (the most so far) 1070ppm using GH and Epsom, and I noticed the very next day they had a little burn on the tips so I've back off just a little, today they got 1010ppm GH only, 5.9pH, 16oz each.
So, for the last week I've been feeding between 1000-1070ppm, with a pH range of 5.7-6.1, and they require 16-18 oz every 24 hrs.
I think they are in pretty good shape now and liking the GH floranova much better than the Canna. I may have actually found a happy spot for them even tho I have had so many water problems. Tell me what you think...
You can see in the background that yellow leaf...as the old growth dies I've been taking these off. I think it's ok tho, the new growth is looking good.
And I mentioned knats...this is the only leaf I can find that has any damage, but this sure looks like something is eating it.
As always, comments and suggestions are welcome...And thanks everybody for all your help and input.
A couple of quick pics...I recently got a ppm meter and have been upping the nutes, I think this is an early sign of nute burn, you can just see the tips are bright yellow. A few days ago they got (the most so far) 1070ppm using GH and Epsom, and I noticed the very next day they had a little burn on the tips so I've back off just a little, today they got 1010ppm GH only, 5.9pH, 16oz each.
So, for the last week I've been feeding between 1000-1070ppm, with a pH range of 5.7-6.1, and they require 16-18 oz every 24 hrs.
I think they are in pretty good shape now and liking the GH floranova much better than the Canna. I may have actually found a happy spot for them even tho I have had so many water problems. Tell me what you think...
You can see in the background that yellow leaf...as the old growth dies I've been taking these off. I think it's ok tho, the new growth is looking good.
And I mentioned knats...this is the only leaf I can find that has any damage, but this sure looks like something is eating it.
As always, comments and suggestions are welcome...And thanks everybody for all your help and input.
Hi Sqwheels!
Okay, I found the "Hydrologic Stealth 100" on Amazon for about $175, and this is from the manufacturer. It's the one I use, and I have zero complaints so far. As far as wasting water, all units like this waste some water, unfortunately. This is from the product description:
"Produces up to 100 gallons per day of ultra-pure, low PPM water. Removes 98%+ of chlorine & contaminants. Wastes approximately 25% less than other RO systems. Everything included in the box for quick hook-up. Customized for gardening & hydroponics".
It weighs 10lbs. It's (approximately) 14 inches tall, and 12 inches wide or so. It's simple to connect and use - small and light. I can get it set up and working in about 30 seconds, literally, though I know it might be a little bigger project for you.
Here's a link:
Amazon - Stealth RO100 Reverse Osmosis Filter
What I did that works well, is got this unit, as well as what's called a "float valve" (~$25) that I installed in a Rubbermaid trash bin. What it does, is shuts off the RO unit once it fills the Rubbermaid bin to a certain point. This is a good way to do it as it helps ensure that you don't "overfill" your container, as these things are fairly slow. Mine takes several hours to fill a 25 gallon container, but I don't have the greatest water pressure either. The float valve was pretty simple to install and came with good instructions. Basically, the only thing you do is drill a small hole near the top of the Rubbermaid container (I think 3/8", but don't quote me on that), and it is just hand-screwed onto the container. If you can drill the hole, you can install it. The instructions are clear and it really is easy. For me, it all sounded complicated up front - but it's not really. With that attached, I can leave home for the day and come back home to a bin full of super clean water. If this same idea sounds good to you, they have a combo deal on Amazon where you can get the unit and the float valve together for $195.
There may be better RO units, but I can only speak for this one, and it's worked like a charm and is easy to use for me - and I am still recovering from surgeries that make lifting a chore. Let me know if you have any other questions - this would make your life easier in a few ways I think. I used to go buy bottles of water at the store, but never again!
Hope this helps.
Oh, one last thing - if you use an RO filter like this for your hempies, you'll want to get a "Cal/Mag" (Calcium/Magnesium) supplement. It does such a good job of cleaning the water, that you'll end up a little short on these without it. Gardening/hydroponic stores will have Cal/Mag supplements galore for probably around $20 or so (depending on the size of the bottle).
Okay, I found the "Hydrologic Stealth 100" on Amazon for about $175, and this is from the manufacturer. It's the one I use, and I have zero complaints so far. As far as wasting water, all units like this waste some water, unfortunately. This is from the product description:
"Produces up to 100 gallons per day of ultra-pure, low PPM water. Removes 98%+ of chlorine & contaminants. Wastes approximately 25% less than other RO systems. Everything included in the box for quick hook-up. Customized for gardening & hydroponics".
It weighs 10lbs. It's (approximately) 14 inches tall, and 12 inches wide or so. It's simple to connect and use - small and light. I can get it set up and working in about 30 seconds, literally, though I know it might be a little bigger project for you.
Here's a link:
Amazon - Stealth RO100 Reverse Osmosis Filter
What I did that works well, is got this unit, as well as what's called a "float valve" (~$25) that I installed in a Rubbermaid trash bin. What it does, is shuts off the RO unit once it fills the Rubbermaid bin to a certain point. This is a good way to do it as it helps ensure that you don't "overfill" your container, as these things are fairly slow. Mine takes several hours to fill a 25 gallon container, but I don't have the greatest water pressure either. The float valve was pretty simple to install and came with good instructions. Basically, the only thing you do is drill a small hole near the top of the Rubbermaid container (I think 3/8", but don't quote me on that), and it is just hand-screwed onto the container. If you can drill the hole, you can install it. The instructions are clear and it really is easy. For me, it all sounded complicated up front - but it's not really. With that attached, I can leave home for the day and come back home to a bin full of super clean water. If this same idea sounds good to you, they have a combo deal on Amazon where you can get the unit and the float valve together for $195.
There may be better RO units, but I can only speak for this one, and it's worked like a charm and is easy to use for me - and I am still recovering from surgeries that make lifting a chore. Let me know if you have any other questions - this would make your life easier in a few ways I think. I used to go buy bottles of water at the store, but never again!
Hope this helps.
Oh, one last thing - if you use an RO filter like this for your hempies, you'll want to get a "Cal/Mag" (Calcium/Magnesium) supplement. It does such a good job of cleaning the water, that you'll end up a little short on these without it. Gardening/hydroponic stores will have Cal/Mag supplements galore for probably around $20 or so (depending on the size of the bottle).
They look good! Probably a little nute burn from the looks of it as you mentioned, and it sounds like you're adjusting appropriately. If just the one leaf looks nibbled, it could be from something else, too . Just keep an eye on it, and react if you need to or it gets worse. Hope you are off to a good start with your weekend!